Tweet
Bubba Smith in 2009
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011) was an American actor and athlete. He was a professional football player in the 1960s and 1970s who became an actor in the late 1970s. He was well known for his height of 6 ft 7 in (2 m).
Early life
Smith was born in Beaumont, Texas. He graduated from Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont in 1963.
[] College athlete
Smith played college football at Michigan State University. He was awarded with All-America honors in 1965 and 1966. In his senior season, he played in the "Game of the Century" (a 10–10 tie at home against the University of Notre Dame). Michigan State finished 2nd in the voting for the National Championship, behind Notre Dame. In 1988, Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Smith was a popular athlete at Michigan State, with the popular fan chant of "Kill Bubba, Kill."
Michigan State retired his number 95 jersey on September 23, 2006, prior to the Spartans' home game against Notre Dame, amid repeated cheers of his old slogan from the student section. This game also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century".
[] Professional football player
Smith spent nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. He was the first overall selection in the 1967 NFL draft, chosen by the Baltimore Colts. The Colts won Super Bowl V at the end of the 1970 season, earning Smith his only Super Bowl ring. However, in interviews, Smith stated that he would never wear the ring, as it was seen as a "sloppy" game by many. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders before the 1972 season, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers. He was selected All-Pro one year, All-Conference two years, and went to two Pro Bowls.
[] Professional actor
After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movie and television roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bubba Smith also appeared in Tales of the Gold Monkey, in the episode called "God Save the Queen", along with fellow actor James Avery. He appeared on Good Times as a bodyguard/thug of Marion "Sweet Daddy" Williams. He is perhaps best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movie series, a role he has reprised in all but one of the Police Academy sequels. He appeared in two episodes of the hit television series Married... with Children, once as the character "Spare Tire" Dixon and in a later episode as himself. He was the long time spokesman of Baltimore-area law firm Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg. Smith starred in the short-lived television series Blue Thunder, partnering with Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive star Dick Butkus, with whom he frequently costarred in ads for Miller Lite Beer.
[] Personal
His brother Tody Smith played for the University of Southern California and for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills.
[] Death
Bubba Smith was found dead at his home in Los Angeles, California by his caretaker on 3 August 2011. Aged 66, he died, apparently, of natural causes.
Comment